The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-12-25

celebration Of her centennial. a. year ago, wa,
q Tie time nS.f psss esfi ses soSHii sSnsrsstuistiHi
10 One Sa q ai he sf Srish ZEE rs and most Interesting o
CoI. who celebrated her one hundredth birth:
dey, z month ago. at her home in Wakefield
ssner az Is s 81 ' e a S very d 81 9 te I'D lssd I. a nsd
s mHSs e h 4 si SISGsEeiE mpaaiect Il aP fS hs ss1lsiSqi. |.
her faculties. and In appearance: intellect. and
manner OF hiei she seems sSsarcely more than
'1 stspSsa G sps sSn ' q Fa I!ah River is o, Irish
stEth. and iSa year, ana OLD 4, = Re ~ Vas s, msr oh,iaI ~
i hFs s ana 4 sT stifI in az aai hss vi sss1 8 h lsaRsr Il HI sl i
MRs.s ) fS lis sG sp saaise calls sifs' for SanfHt s a sss SSSE
and tobaocS without apparent bad effect, ~,
to s.e &Sss, E ~ man Who 3 Is se physisaIiy a " wreck Eek.
but whose mind remains clear. He has shrunk
almost to q skeleton, his weight being scarcely
more than nine years 10 has been totally. blind.
notSs s "a, fSr I It's Longevity. His grandmother lived
Mrss; Lydia Watson will be 1ol years old
sa55. q a. dsss; s g was s bern In t Leicester e Mass ,aa
for sMe in mt the e"e sd p family ami 9'i Bibis- S Sng IN taS" The to%n
TsSSrds Il may ID, be r RHth that Rs, lydia d daughter Of
born Jan. 1. 1857. and that she was the youngest
S 81 eleven hS Shildr Wst.e she 81 mf p.iGsa her r second ID
Her father was q typical New England Iili.
town rar%peT, and her mother q typical New
very near the Spencer line. and ID the daughter
On leicester Hill with one Of her sons, James
Lydia Watson is the mother o, ten chill
dren, but two Of whom are nov living, She
s si1 n srest. sWensSiHinli alan and ons t arest-
great-Rrandchild, whose names are known to
Ss5 s9n aca Sa ! az t hGs n ShllSbssn e e ehil s5nnos are
t., cover the entire list;
Last January her Tooth birthday was eels,
relatives being present, the excitement OF the
occasion not having any unfnvorable effect
S s,eeps h veil. Sh aef has eye al sfos sesRn a ts saIt x Sea
eIasses until. Sbotut 80. Then her e y
VIII SHV ths % ala di'; II fa glasses sae s'a Now ,Sr her %1n sie asaf IS
iailing, and she cannot see to read even with
but OF these she knows Comparatively little.
Chesley, Heal OF searsport. Me-. claims to
facts at hand In tho case, there seems to be no
reason to DOUBT the truth OF the assertion;
tho tho M iife Of fo a fa ar Ses saSs a new lew a mont aas W VSea
he had a taste Of war and bloodshei in IisifaI.
His service in that war was; to be sure. con:
powder to n ssss Fl esa' IL took put par e in sn she
S eFi fit Pit s sha5o s snsga as Bejfas, With With The he R kins!a
forces came ashore, and raided the country.
He delights to relate his share in the skirmish-
ing. and tells with great gusto about how he
and fired twenty-four rounds. from, his Old
musket Into the barges filed with Britishers as
He has q grievance in the fact that he never
received his discharge as a veteran Of that war.
Although he 1s he Is paid an g per month pension,
give eH Is HIM Hsny a sf fali dise ehs1 sse and pdies aWspd f hi% q
bounty. In fact. this point is bis chief hobby,
fer 1i3t] he s Is nov h feeble Iaso H. mind: and ~ he dEelIs upon
period in his career. Heis extremely feeble, and
for years has not stepped outside the little old
whose age is stated at all the way from 90 to
seems see se NO reason sna to d deub Il a & fi IS remariably yR Wsll
preserved. being still a man six feet, high and
ty is deafness. He was married for seventy
years. and has one child. who is now an old
refers says that the use OF tobacco, rum. and
cider has never hurt him, and he believes has
tended to prolong his days.
to be the Oldest, person in New England, her
age being stated at III years, There are no
yss1rds to I IrHSe h her bs age so but the d faHt that the
thirty-two Years old, shows her ' to be a a very very
old woman. when the fact is considered that
declares she remembers quite distinctly events
that are known to have occurred a century
W Sse, e ss1a hss age S Ss that s TIM Ss sse b Is Sery f Sn1a
she g now quits feeble, and living in Very y hum
Mrs. .Aznbah, Freeman Ryder is the name of
one OF Names smartest centenarians. She
l n;S' n With 5I1,n her so sb Samuel nm. hol himself 1sa 50 7 years :
q q The los, years Of her lie. When Gen.
livered In Orrington. A grave had been dug.
ana MISS Azubah was one, OF sixteen young
siatssn '1 sta sta's 81 y shs 6 91d; FsDr Sso GsIt tas
about, and singing a hymn composed for the
s sHer married sn sa sausPf hy sis99 IN 1 lso ser scr shslH m atH;
s iIs%s fS S;, dsf ;f husband !, al hls iir4Sf sqis q Clothes
In 1861, and only three q their. eight Children
are living. She is, still In perfect health and
srandchildrsn. t6irt iIti%ee e er%estesn dasLie
dI Srs. a ssr tSs Observation-Disclosures ses4s e VISIT hi Ne, at
tated the following brief outline e hsr career:
was in Townsend. Me. / lived tn there e,fs until I
i;ysI 5 n ysa1iFf 0 ID: I'd Is wss1Psto Ellsworth s where i
the age Of l6, and raised q family Of twelve
Children; Of whom eight are living, The oldest
treat .ereat;grandcblidrsn., + have been a
MiuoW lOr tnlfty years. MY nealth Is very good.
During the last summer / walked a quarter OF q
mile to a quilting, and quilted q square without
l can see to read without glasses and
my hearing is very good. My life has been a
viii be still happier, f9I am only waiting, to
dear Lord has spared me- to eoa a good 1eine Old age age
Yours truly, SARAH TINKER."
Elihp Stevens Of s%mithaeld, Me-, Is probably
OF the head OF the largest family In the country. |
The aged man still appears hale and hearty.
He is OF medium, height, quite erect, and al
though he complains OF his poor eyesight. he is |
still able to 80 about alone, Before a recent
among his friends. inviting hem to attend the
Five generations OF his family are
now living. He was three times married; had
tor. children by his first wife. five by his sec
ond, and six by his third. His children, grand
great-grandchildren, and great great
who arc now living number 3l9.
In 1886 he and his male DESCENDANTS cast thlr-
votes for Governor In Maine and four
in California. He says Of himself.
u was born In Dearborn Plantation. Me-, on
Jan. 26. 1888. on a farm now owned by Noah G.
Lyford. before tho Constitution OF the United
was adopted, and have lived under every
President from Washington to Grover Glove
land. voted for Andrew Jackson. and have
meyer failed to vote for President since"
Mr.. Stevens dictated to one OF his children
the followtng facts about his career for publi-